Wheel slip relay and wiring



July 25, 1950 B, FRlER 2,516,198

WHEEL SLIP RELAY AND WIRING Filed June 18, 1949 EL w operQLtivelyconnected thereto.

Patented July 25, 1950 Billy Frier, ,;Brookfiel .1, 8131' MotorsIJQo -porati poration 01 Delaware V Ill., .assignorto Genon, Detroit, Mich., a cor- .f Applieafiongllme 18, 1949," Serial No; 99,960

' 7 Claims. 1

The, present linvention generally, relates: to generating electric locomotive traction-c and 1 control sys ems: andi-more-narticulat a he the control means for the traction wheels. ofllocomotiveszof this type.

--;-The principal-objectof the presentinvention is to: provide-asirnple inexpensive tractionandconitrol systemiincluding a relayzassocialed directly with the,power-connectienaand switching: means between, the locomotive ipower generatinglmeans and traction motors to, act. upon; ahslight unbalance in electrical conditions s between the ;-motors when connected-line either series m series-parallel circuit. relationv resulting from. ,arslightz difference in speed of anyhmotor due toslight slippageof ta tractionewheel ,driven bynthatmotor to cause-a prompt reductionhin other power outprut of the power generatinglmeans to -promptly. check wheel slippage-and restore balanced electricaland. speed conditions. of, the. traction amotorsatov the Ori inal yalue atra controlled, rate.

.The control meansand connections bylwhich the above object is accomplishedand othercrnovel features of. .the inventionrwill becomes apparent by: reference to the following detailed description 1 andpsinglei. schematic drawing 4 illustratin the L various controleelementsy-and connections of this system which. is particularly adapted for? a generating, electric. locomotive.

.JIh'e Tntra'c'tion, and. control. system includes a locomotivepower plant. .inc1udin a Diesel engine operativelyr connectedvtora compound electric generator G having .seriesshuntancl .hattelyeexcited field windings, SS, SF vand,"BF' and supplying power to series type lelectric traction motors; MlcM2+M3zM4,each operatively connectedtoseparate driving axles I having traction .The power fl-plant is providedr with =spee d,;- load and output regulating means .of conventional type including .an engine, driven, speed responsive; governor GOV COI1l7IQl1lng hydl1alli1lQ power means ranv l connected in; conventional manner; to

the engine fuel regulating means, not shownand .also -to. a. generator. fieldjrheostat .,-in order to cause .ODeration of the= engine "and generator power-Uplantlat substantially, constant speed, load and,,.output in. awellfiknownemanner. The governor GOV. provided with conventional .xspeed response .varying meansland. electromagnetically ontrolled, speed ,setting means JI1l,T2.., T3 -.-T4 Elec roma net c governor overridingmeans ,ORJSQperatiyely connected tothe hydraulic power meanspfi thergov- Vernon GOV: to. start-.moyeinentcr ther field rheo- -:;magnetically controlled governor speed setting pmeans Tl-T2'T3T4, controlled series and parallel switching means v riding. means. OR.

riding; means starts 'statj 'E-R backto the to gradually restore atedfroma master controller MC locomotive unit.

tacts being provided to control sistat FR, towardthe maximum resistance position and thereby reduce-the generator excitation and power output .upon. cleenergization of the; over- Reenergizationc of the overmovement of the field rheominimum resistance position the power output of: the generatorto its original value.

'Armanually operable master controller .MCis provided to controlenergization of the electrothe electromagnetically tors; and shuntwandbattery generator field relays ,SFR-BFR through suitable train-line. control conductors, to be described, included in atrainline conduit. These train-line connections are adapted to be connected in multiple. with similar qtrain-line connections of-other similar locomotive limits in conventional manner so that a plurality ofglocomotive units maybe controlled and operon any coupled (The master controllerMC is provided with suit- .able cooperating; stationary and manually movable control contacts whereby the shunt field re- -lay SFR isienergizeclto control energization of the ,battery'field relay BFR and the governor speed setting means TlT2--T3-T4. Controller conenergization of the var ous;governor,speed, setting means separately and in various combinations to cause operation -of the engine and generator power plant under control of the governor plurality of constant values of at, any one of a speed, load, and output in a well known manner. The master cOllbllQller MC;-is also rovidedwithother suitable y control conta ts, toause: energization of either th elec roma neticseries switchingmeans s l 3- S24 or: the paralleh switching means P l ?P2- .P3 ,4 in;0r d en to;causegtransition;between= aseries-parallellan d parallel power circuit relation of the. traction moto sj Mle M2r-r-M3-sgM4 ,with reispe to-the ower. pl te er torfiby means of power c n e on t abe. descri eduwhich ar directly. associated W,-] h ,a;wheelqslipgcontrol relay WSRgSOElth /t it; responds @to slight; unbalanced electrical conditions ofethe motors due toslight differences in traction m andzwh lspeeds, to cause a reduction, in. p wer Supplied themoytorseby the; power iplant and gthereby promptly check; furthenrunbalance and gradually restore ta cedl electri i a i is eed c editionsron the emotors.

series relation between one terrninal of the generator armature and the center tap of the winding l of the wheel slip relay WSR/ by power circuit conductors ll, l9 and 2|.

Current is supplied by the generator G through separate portions of the winding of the wheel slip relay WSR to separate pairs of traction motors driving separate traction wheels most liable to slip for either forwarder reverse operation of the locomotive. For example, in a locomotive having forward and rear two axle trucks, in forward operation the motor Ml drives the leading wheel W-l of the forward locomotive truck and'the motor M3 drives the leading wheel W3 of the rear :2

locomotive truck and as weight is transferred from the leading truck wheels WI-W3 to the trailing truck wheels W2-W4for forward operation the wheels Wl-W3 are mostlikely to slip. For reverse operation the motor M4 drives the leading wheel W4 of the rear truck and the motor M2 drives the leading wheel W2 of the forward truck andthe wheels W4 and W2 are most likely to slip for the same reason given above.

, Themotor Ml and parallel switching means Pl therefor are shown connected in series between one end terminal of the winding l5 of the relay WSR and the opposite generator armature terminal by power circuit conductors 23, 25, 21, 29, 3! and..33. .The motor M3 and parallel switching means P3 therefor are shown connected in series between the power conductors 23-33 by power conductors .35, 31 and 39. The series switching means S|3 for motors Ml-M3 is shown connected by power conductors 4 [-43 in series relation between the power conductors 29-35. The motor :M2 and the parallel switching means P2 therefor are" shown connected in series between the other end winding terminal of the relay WSR and power conductor 33 by power conductors 45,

' 41, 49, 5| and 53. The motor M4 and its parallel switching means P4 are shown connected in series between the power conductors 45-33 by power conductors 55 and 51. The series switching means S24 for the motors M2-M 4 is connected in series between power conductors 5|--55' by power conductors 59 and BL With the motors, series and parallel switchingmeans and separate portions of the single turn winding of the wheel slip relay WSR. connected as described above it will be evident that when the windings of the series electromagnetic switching means Sl3-S24 are energized to cause closure of the contacts thereof the motors Ml- -M3 are connected in series with half of the winding of the relay WSR and across the generator armature terminals and the motors MZ-M4 are connected in series with the other half of the winding of the wheel slip relay WSR and across the generator and therefore in'parallel with the motors MIM3 to establish a seriesparallel motor circuit. Providing the speedof each motor and wheel driven thereby is substantially equal the current supplied b the generator will divide equally between each 'ofthe parallel connected pairs of motors, each pair being connected in series relation across the generator. As the current flow in each half of the winding l5 of the relay is substantially equal and in opposite direction with respect to relay yoke 5 the yoke remains demagnetized. If, however, any traction wheel slips there will be a "'sligh t-increase' in speed in the motor driving l() generator series field winding SS is connected-in this wheel which'causes an unbalance in the back voltage of the motors and an unbalance in current between the two parts of the relay winding causing magnetization of the yoke and attraction of the relay armature l which causes closure of the wheel slip relay contacts ll--l3.

It will be evident that when the windings oi the" parallel switching means Pl-P2--P3-P4 are energized'to cause closure of the contacts thereof the motors MI-M3 will be connected in parallel "across the generator with one half of the winding of the wheel slip relay in series with this pairof motors and the other'half of the relay winding will be connected in series with the other pair of parallel connected motors M2--M4 to establish a p'arallelmotor'circuit."

A control switch CS is shown connected in series between the positive terminal of the battery BAT and the master controller MC by a positive train-line "control conductor PT. A negative train-line conductor NT is connected to the negative battery terminal and is shown entering the locomotive train-line conduit and is connected to the master controller and negative train-line branch'conductors NT connected to the negative train-line conductor NT are shown extending from the train line conduit and connected to one winding terminal of each of the above mentioned electromagnetic means. Separate positive train-line control conductors 63, 65, 61, 69, 1!,113, 15 and Tl connected to the master controller MC are shown extending outwardly of the train-line conduit. A resistor X and the norm ally open contacts l|-'l3 of the wheel slip relay are connected in series between the positive branch train-line control conductor 63 and a negative train-line control branch conductor NT by a conductor 19. The winding of the generator shunt field relay SFRis connected by conductors 8I83 between the conductor 19 and a negative train-line branch conductor NT and therefore in shunt relation with the contacts I |I3 ofthe wheel slip relay WSR. The upper normally opencontacts of the relay SFR are connected in series between the positive trainline control conductor 63' and one winding terminal 'of the'generator battery field relay BFR and the governor overriding means OR by conductors 81, The normally open lower contacts of the relay'SFR are connected in series 'relation' with the generator shunt field winding SF acro ss'the power con uct rs Hf-3s by conductors' 89*! and therefore in shunt relation upper and lower contacts of this relay when the winding is energized by movement of the master controller to 'an operating. position in order'to 'cause energization of the windings of the battery field relayjBFR and governor overriding means OR and the generator' shunt field winding: SF.

This causes the "closure of the upper pair of contacts of'the battery fieldrelay and the opening acreage of the lower contacts by movement of the armature contact and movement of the plunger of the governor overriding means to cause operation of the generator field rheostat FR by the hydraulic means of the governor GOV. The field rheostat FR, generator battery field winding BF and upper. contacts of the relay BFR are connected in series between the positive train-line conductor 65 and a negative train-line branch conductor NT by conductors 96, e1, 98 and 99 and upon closure of these contacts the battery field winding is energized, the excitation current therein then being controlled by the field rheostat. The lower contacts of the relay BFR and a battery field discharge resistor BDR are connected in series across the battery field winding between conductors 91-98 by conductors l0ll03.' It will be evident that upon energlzation and closure of the upper contacts of the relay SFR the battery field relay winding is energized to cause closure of the upper contacts and the opening of the lower contacts. This causes energization of the generator battery field winding BF through the field rheostat FR and conductors 65-96- 9B99- NT'.

The windings of the series switching means $53-$24 are connected in parallel with the positive and negative train-line conductors ll-NT by conductors I05, I El! and I09 and these windings are energized to establish the series-parallel motor-power circuit relation with the generator G when the master controller MC is moved to one controlling condition.

The windings of the parallel switching means Pl-P2-P3P4 are connected in parallel with the positive and negative train-line conductors 'l5-NT by conductors HI, H3, H5, H1, H9 and i2! and these windings are energized upon movement of the master controller to a parallel control position to establish the parallel motor circuit relation with the generator G. i

As explained with the master controller MC moved to an operative position the governor GOV causes the power plant to supply substantially constant value of power to the traction motors when connected in either the series or parallel circuit relation as determined by the controlling position of the master controller. As each pair of series or parallel connected motors are connected in series with each half turn of the wheel slip relay winding [5 when the motors are connected in either the series parallelor parallel circuit relation with the generator G if there is no difference in speed of the traction wheels and motors driving these wheels substantially equal values of load current fiows in each half of the single turn winding l5 of the wheel slip relay WSR in opposite directions around one leg of the relay yoke 5 and it is demagnetized and. the relay contacts Hl3 are open. Should any wheel driven by a motor slip on the rail the speed of this motor and its back voltage will increase thereby decreasing the current flow in one half of the wheel slip relay winding relative to the fiow in the other half of the winding in the opposite direction and cause excitation of the relay yoke and closure of the relay contacts |Il3. This shunts the winding of the shunt field relay SFR and causes opening of the upper and lower contacts. Opening of the lower contacts inserts the shunt field discharge resistor SDR in series with the shunt field winding SF and causes prompt delay of flux in this field and a corresponding reduction in the generator power output to the motors. Opening of the upper contacts pOWeI' 6 of the relay SFR causes deenergization of the windings of the battery field relay BFR and governor overriding device OR. The opening of the upper contacts of the battery field relay deenergizes the generator battery field winding BF and closure of the lower relay contacts connects the battery field discharge resistor BDR in shunt relation with the battery field winding BF likewise causing a prompt decay of flux in this field and the generator power output is accordingly reduced to a low value and wheel slippage is promptly checked. At the same time deenergization of the governor overriding means OR occurs to cause the hydraulic power means of the governor GOV to move the movable element of the l field rheostat FR in the battery field circuit to its iii erator and motor I I checks wheel slip and maximum resistance position. Checking of wheel slippage restores balanced wheel and motor speed conditions and current values in each half of the winding of the wheel slip relay and the relay contacts open to reenergize the windings of generator and battery field relay and the overriding device. This causes reexcitation of the generator shunt and battery field windings SF and BF. The excitation current in battery field Winding BF is at the minimum value due to the fact that the overriding device OR when deenergized causes the movable element of the field rheostat to move to the maximum resistance position.

a This causes a resumption of power from the generator at a reduced value to its original value thereby preventing further wheel slip, the power increasing to the original value gradually upon reenergization of the governor overriding means OR which causes the movable element of the field rheastat FR to move back to its original position to increase the excitation current in the generator battery field to its original value so that the power output to the motors gradually increases to the value present prior to wheel slippage.

The operation is the same whether the motors are connected in series-parallel or parallel with thegenerator due to the arrangement of the split winding of the wheel slip relay WSR in the genpower circuit connections. The wheel slip relay structure is simple and inexpen sive and sensitive to slight differences in load current in each half of this winding and promptly gradually restores balanced speed and current conditions to prevent further traction to cause a reduction plant, said relay having a winding slippage due to being associated directly with the power conductors in the manner described and giving adequate protection against wheel slippage when the motors are connected in either a series or a parallel circuit relation with the generator for either forward or backward operation of the locomotive.

I claim:

1. In a traction and control system for a multiwheel vehicle, an electric traction motor dr ving each wheel, a generating electric power plant having power output regulating means, a relay for controlling the output regulating means in the output of the power provided with an intermediate tap and operable upon unbalanced electrical conditions in each portion of the winding, power circuit conductors including series and parallel switching means for connecting 'equal numbers of motors in separate series or parallel connected groups and in series with each portion of the relay winding across the power plant to cause the relay to act upon a difference in speed and electrical conditions in any motor merits of either series or parallel connected group to reduce the power output supplied the motors and restore balanced speed and electrical conditions between the motors of both'groups.

2. In a traction and control system for a multitraction wheel vehicle, an electric traction motor driving each motor, a generating electric power plant including output regulating means, a relay connected in controlling relation with the regulating means to cause a reduction in the power plant output, said relay having a single turn current winding provided with a center tap and operable upon unbalanced current conditions in each winding portion, separate motor power circuits supplied by the power plant, each motor power circuit including a portion of the relay current winding, equal numbers of traction motors and series and parallel switching means for connecting the motors in each circuit in series or parallel power circuit relation so that upon the occurrence of unbalanced electrical conditions in the motor power circuits the relay acts to cause a reduction in power output to the motors to restore balanced electrical conditions therein.

3. In a traction and control system for a multitraction wheel locomotive, an electric traction motor driving pairs of traction wheels, a generating electric power plant having fast and slow acting power output regulating means, a relay acting to control simultaneous operation of said fast and slow acting power output regulating means, said relay having an electromagnetic winding provided with an intermediate tap and acting only upon unbalanced electrical conditions in the two portions of the winding either side of the intermediate tap, separate motor power circuits connecting across the power plant, each'motor circuit including one portion of the relay winding, equal numbers of traction motors and series and parallel switching means for connecting the motors in each circuit in series or parallel circuit relation and for rendering the relay responsive to unbalanced motor speed and electrical conditions between the separate circuits to cause a prompt reduction in the power supplied the motors to restore balanced speed conditions and for causing a gradual increase in power in these circuits to the original value.

4. In a traction and control system for a multitraction wheel locomotive, a plurality of electric traction motors driving separate traction wheels, a, generating electric power plant having power output regulating means, manual and automatic control means for the regulating means, said manually operable means normally controlling said regulating means and said automatic means comprising a relay having a current winding provided with an intermediate tap and operable upon unbalanced current conditions in the two portions of the winding to render the manual control means inoperative and cause a reduction in the output of the power plant, separate motor power circuits connected to the power plant each motor circuit including one portion of the relay winding, equal numbers of traction motors and series and parallel switching means for connecting the motors in series or parallel circuit relation and to render said relay responsive to unbalanced current conditions in the separate motor circuits resulting from slippage of any wheel driven by any motor and thereby promptly reduce the power output applied by the power plant to the motors to check wheel slippage and re-establish balanced current conditions and normal power output'inthe separate motor circuits.

5. in a traction and control system for a multitraotibn wheellocomotive, a plurality of electric traction motors driving separate traction wheels, a generating electric power plant including interconnected fast and slow acting output varying means, a manual controller operable to control said output regulating means, a relay connected to said manual controller, said relay having an actuating windingprovided with a center tap and operable upon unbalanced electrical conditions in two parts of the winding to render the manual controller inoperative to control said output regulating means and thereby cause a fast reduction in the power output of the power plant, separate motor power circuits connected to the jower plant, each power circuit including the same number of traction motors, one portion of the relay winding and series and parallel switching means controlled by the manual controller for connecting the motors in series and parallel circuit relation and to render said relay responsive to unbalanced current conditions in the separate motor circuits resulting from slippage of any motor driven traction wheel and thereby cause a fast reduction in power output of the power plant to the motors to promptly check wheel slippage and restore balanced electrical conditions in the motor circuits and relay winding portions and thereby render the controller and fast and slow acting output regulating means operative to cause a slow increase in the output of the power plant to its original value.

6. In a traction and control system for a multi-traction wheel locomotive, electric traction motors driving separate traction wheels, a generating electric power plant including an internal combustion engine, an electric generator driven thereby, said generator having an excitation field circuit including excitation current varying means to vary the generator output and excitation switching means for exciting the field circuit and for discharging the field circuit in order to obtain a prompt reduction in generator excitation and power output, a speed responsive governor having speed response setting means driven by the power plant and operable to control the fuel supplied the engine and generator excitation current varying means to cause 0D- eration of the power plant at any one of a plurality of constant values of speed, load and power output corresponding to the setting of the governor speed response setting means, governor overriding means operably connected with the excitation switching means and operable upon discharge of the excitation circuit to position the excitation varying means to a reduced excitation current controlling position prior to reexcitation, separate traction motor connections, each including a like number of motors and series and parallel switching means for connecting the motors in series orparallel relation, a manually operablev controller controlling said governor speed setting means, excitation switching means and motor series and parallel switching means,

anda .wheel slip relay connected in controlling relation between said controller and said excitation switching means, said relay having an actuating windingprovided with a center tap and each of the end portions of the relay winding being connected in series relation between the generator and each motor circuit so that the wheel slip relay acts only upon the occurrence of any unbalance in current conditions in the motor 'circuits' due to slippage of any motor driven wheel to cause a prompt discharge of the generator excitation circuit and a prompt reduction in power output to the motors and also movement of the excitation varying means to the reduced excitation controlling position and thereby promptly check wheel slip and restore balanced motor speed current conditions and motor conditions in the motor circuits and winding portions of the relay and to cause re-excitation of the generator and the return of the excitation current varying means by the governor to its original value thereby causing an increase in the generator output to the motors to the original value prior to wheel slippage to prevent a reoccurrence thereof.

7. In a traction and control system for a multitraction wheel locomotive, electric traction motors driving separate traction wheels, separate traction motor power circuits each including the same number of motors and electrically controlled series and parallel switching means for connecting the motors in series and parallel rellation, a Diesel engine, an electric generator driven thereby, said generator having an excitation circuit including a rheostat for varying the excitation current and electrically controlled switching means for completing and discharging the excitation circuit, a governor having electrically controlled speed response varying means and acting in response to the speed of said engine for controlling the engine fuel and said rheostat to cause operation of said engine and generator at any one of a plurality of substantially constant values of speed, load and output, electrically controlled governor overriding means for causing movement of the rheostat to reduce the excitation current and power output of the generator, a manually operable master controller, train-line control conductors interconnecting the controller to the various electrically controlled means for 10 control thereof and adapted to be connected in multiple with other: train-line and control conductors and similaneiectrically controlled means on other locomotives for multiple control thereof, a wheel slip relay having a single current actuating winding provided with a center tap and having each of the'two winding portions thereof connected in serieejbetween the generator and one of the motor circuit connections to act in response to unbalanced current conditions in the motor circuits resulting from slippage of any motor driven traction wheel, said relay having control contacts connected in the train-line control connections between said controller and said electrically operated'v excitation switching means and governor overridng means to cause prompt discharge of the generator excitation circuit and movement of the rheostat therein to the reduced current controlling position upon action of the relay thereby causingga prompt reduction of the generator output trig-"promptly check further wheel slippage and res re balanced current conditions in the motor circuits, re-excitation and movement 01' the rheostat to the original controlling position to cause an increase in the power output to the motors to inhibit further wheel ppa e.

BILLY E. FRIER.

REFEREISCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,588 Kew Jan. 9, 1945 2,266,326 Lillquist Dec. 16, 1941 2,449,399 Lillquist Sept. 14, 1948 

